ID Handle Material
-
- Posts: 13373
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 5:36 pm
- Location: West Kootenays, B.C.
ID Handle Material
Here is a nicely made 3 3/4" Swell Center jack with a saber ground spear point master blade (AKA "Stabber Jack"). The tang is marked "A.P.& F./Germany". I do not know how old this knife might be.
The handles are black and shiny but with a 9x loupe there is a hint of parallel grain and there are many superficial scratches even though the knife shows no signs of use; i.e. the surface scratches easily.
There is no handle shrinkage and no discoloration of the round shield or bolsters.
I think these handles are synthetic. Is there a non destructive way to tell if they are celluloid ?
Is there a visual difference between black celluloid and black acrylic ?
Based on your experience what do you think these handles are made of ?
kj
The handles are black and shiny but with a 9x loupe there is a hint of parallel grain and there are many superficial scratches even though the knife shows no signs of use; i.e. the surface scratches easily.
There is no handle shrinkage and no discoloration of the round shield or bolsters.
I think these handles are synthetic. Is there a non destructive way to tell if they are celluloid ?
Is there a visual difference between black celluloid and black acrylic ?
Based on your experience what do you think these handles are made of ?
kj
Re: ID Handle Material
I'm thinking a cellulose acetate family member but not Celluloid. Swiss Army knives use this handle material. I have a modern Taylor's Eye Witness with identical handles; which scratch easy, and are very shiny.
-
- Posts: 13373
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 5:36 pm
- Location: West Kootenays, B.C.
Re: ID Handle Material
Thanks for your posts. I think it is too shiny to be a Micarta. Cody, shiny black and scratches easily so it probably is the same material that you have seen on some SAK's and a Taylor's Eye Witness. So unlikely to be celluloid. Great !
kj
kj
Re: ID Handle Material
For whatever it's worth, Victorinox calls their plastic Cellidor. I think that's their trade name for it, rather than the term for any plastic of that composition.
USN 2000-2006
Adaptable and (usually) affable knife enthusiast, unsure of his knife collecting destination but enjoying the journey
Case taste, Rough Ryder budget
Adaptable and (usually) affable knife enthusiast, unsure of his knife collecting destination but enjoying the journey
Case taste, Rough Ryder budget
- tongueriver
- Posts: 6834
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:01 pm
Re: ID Handle Material
I have a knife with covers which I know for a fact are black buffalo horn, but I cannot for the life of me tell whether they are horn or man-made material. I assume that I could touch a hot needle to it and prove horn by the smell, but I don't need to because it is a custom rehandle by a trusted maker.
-
- Posts: 13373
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 5:36 pm
- Location: West Kootenays, B.C.
Re: ID Handle Material
Does the surface of the buffalo horn handles scratch easily ? If you use a loupe to look at these handles do you see lots of superficial scratch marks ?tongueriver wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 1:47 pm I have a knife with covers which I know for a fact are black buffalo horn, but I cannot for the life of me tell whether they are horn or man-made material. I assume that I could touch a hot needle to it and prove horn by the smell, but I don't need to because it is a custom rehandle by a trusted maker.
kj
- tongueriver
- Posts: 6834
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:01 pm
Re: ID Handle Material
Horn scratches easily. This knife is newly re-handled so it is mostly scratch free but I can easily scratch it. I can't see any grain of any kind in it.
-
- Posts: 10068
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
- Location: Tecumseh,Michigan
Re: ID Handle Material
tongueriver wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:55 pm Horn scratches easily. This knife is newly re-handled so it is mostly scratch free but I can easily scratch it. I can't see any grain of any kind in it.
Most of the horn I have encountered when looked at under a loupe has a pronounced grain to it that looks like hair;basically because as I understand it horn is hair that has been covered with a congealed substance(there is a name for it but I can't remember it). As for Roland's knife;it is definitely some type of synthetic. It could be polypropynol(sp?)which is a shiny synthetic that does scratch rather readily.It also is unique in that is the only plastic I know of that does not out-gas and does not require a mold release agent when making something from it. It is widely used in 1oz. medicine cups which I use to mix paint in because it won't contaminate the paint.
EDIT: The plastic I'm thinking of is polypropylene;polypropanol is a drug.Sorry
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!